Chicken & Asparagus Stir Fry

This simple stir fry is so easy to throw together and ready in only 20 minutes! Tender chunks of chicken, fresh asparagus, and a quick sauce make this one pot dish perfect for any night of the week!

I am so tickled with this Chicken & Asparagus Stir Fry! It took several attempts to get it exactly right because I was adamant that the sauce really shine. No boring or bland foods here, my friend!

The sauce is exactly what I wanted. It’s fast, thick (thanks to arrowroot flour), and has tons of flavor. While it’s not truly spicy I’d still say it’s probably not the perfect fit for someone who hates even the teeniest bit of spice… like my five year old. A milder dish is better suited for her.

To whip up this meal, you’ll start by sautéing your chicken pieces so they have some nice browning. Then set the chicken aside.

The sauce and asparagus go in the pan next. Asparagus cooks quickly (that’s one very important reason why I love it so) so just give it two or three minutes. Then add the chicken back to the pan to get it warmed and ensure each piece is cooked through.

I like to thicken my sauce with arrowroot flour. That stuff is magic and a fantastic healthy swap for plain old white flour. It works so quickly! It can be finicky so make sure you follow the directions explicitly when working with it. That means you’ll shake it in a small container with equal parts cold water before adding it to the skillet. You’ll also want to turn off the stovetop heat just before adding it. Then stir and voila!

If you have the same warm and fuzzy feelings about stir fries as I do then get ready for a really yummy one! Seriously though, I love how fast and versatile stir fries can be. You can create one out of pretty much any protein and vegetable! Whenever I’m feeling particularly uninspired by what to make for dinner I typically end up making a stir fry with whatever we have in the fridge.

Chicken & Asparagus Stir Fry

This simple stir fry is so easy to throw together and ready in only 20 minutes! Tender chunks of chicken, fresh asparagus, and a quick sauce make this one pot dish perfect for any night of the week!

Prep Time: 10mins

Cook Time: 10mins

Total Time: 20mins

Servings: 4people

Ingredients

Chicken & Asparagus

1 1/2lbchicken breasts, skinless, boneless, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2tbspolive or avocado oil

1/2tspsalt

1/2tsppepper

1bunchasparagus, trimmed, cut into thirds

Sauce

1/2cupcoconut aminos

1/4cupchicken stock

1tspgarlic, minced

1tspchili powder

1/2tsppaprika

1/2tsponion powder

1/4tspsalt

1tbsparrowroot flour

1tbspcold water

Optional: Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

Add oil to a large skillet. Heat on medium-high. Once oil is hot, add your chicken pieces. Salt and pepper. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes uncovered, flipping occasionally. Chicken should have some browning. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add asparagus, coconut aminos, chicken stock, garlic, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, and salt to skillet. Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Asparagus should be tender (or close to tender) but still bright green.

Add chicken back to skillet. Stir so that it's incorporated with the sauce and asparagus. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until chicken is cooked through and warmed.

To thicken sauce, in a small container combine arrowroot flour and water. Shake. Turn off heat. Pour the mixture into the skillet and stir. You’ll notice the gravy sauce begins to thicken immediately.

Top with sesame seeds (optional) before serving.

Notes

Don’t have arrowroot flour but still want to thicken the sauce? You can use tapioca starch the same way you use arrowroot so that’s another healthy flour to try. If you want to use white flour you’ll need to handle it differently though. It doesn’t thicken as quickly so you’ll want to take the asparagus and chicken out of the pan (so it doesn’t overcook), shake together 2 tbsp white flour and water, pour that slurry into your sauce, and let it simmer until it thickens. You can add the chicken and asparagus back in at the end to warm them up.